Meliá Hotels International, one of the largest hotel companies in the world, announced today the opening of the all- inclusive Meliá Braco Village in Rio Bueno, Jamaica as part of its Meliá Hotels & Resorts brand. This highly anticipated opening is the company's second hotel in the English-speaking Caribbean after Meliá Nassau Beach in the Bahamas, and it's first in Jamaica.
Grand Lucayan, Bahamas, the award-winning resort offering guests an authentic Bahamian experience, is proud to announce the opening of Lighthouse Pointe, the brand's all-inclusive offering. The new addition aims to capture the attention of new and past guests alike by coupling the appeal of Grand Lucayan's already impressive offerings with the benefits associated with an all-inclusive vacation experience. Lighthouse Pointe boasts 196 stylish guestrooms and offers guests a wide variety of recreational activities and dining options. The resort began welcoming guests on December 12, 2015.
Hard Rock International – owner of one of the world's most recognized brands – reveals plans for its second hotel and casino in the Dominican Republic, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Santo Domingo, located in the heart of the capital city. In collaboration with All Inclusive Collection, the full service hotel, estimated to open in late 2017, will feature 400 hotel rooms and suites and a state of the art casino.
Kingston, Jamaica -- The Courtyard by Marriott Kingston, Jamaica is now open and ready to welcome business and leisure guests from all over the world in one of the most sought after and beautiful destinations in the Caribbean. The hotel is centrally located in New Kingston, the business mecca of the city.
Autograph Collection Hotels, Marriott International's exclusive portfolio of properties recognized for celebrating individuality, will add The Habitation Jouissant – a boutique hotel located in Cap Haitien, Haiti – to its impressive global portfolio in the fourth quarter of 2017. The property, located in Haiti's second largest city and situated on the country's northern coast, will be Autograph Collection's third hotel in the Caribbean and will proudly serve as Marriott International's second property in Haiti – following the highly anticipated opening of the Marriott Port-Au-Prince Hotel in early 2015.
Hilton Worldwide (NYSE: HLT) today announced that the Tranquility Beach Resort Dominica will join Curio - A Collection by Hilton, a global set of remarkable hotels hand-picked for their distinctive character and personality, appealing to passionate travelers seeking local discovery. The Tranquility Beach Resort Dominica, Curio Collection by Hilton, is expected to open in 2018.
Today, Best Western Hotels & Resorts announced the first North American hotel to join the BW Premier Collection®— The Copamarina Beach Resort & Spa in Puerto Rico. The BW Premier Collection, Best Western's soft brand, consists of carefully selected high-quality hotels in primary and destination markets.
Highlighting strong and growing interest in its portfolio of upscale brands in theCaribbean, Wyndham Hotel Group, the world's largest hotel company, today announced plans for further global expansion with the development of the 450- room Sam Lord's Castle Barbados, A Wyndham Grand Resort.
Paradise Beach Nevis A sophisticated seven-villa resort, has opened on the Caribbean island of Nevis, providing a chic and discreet beachfront retreat for couples, families and groups of friends. The privately owned property offers beachfront villas in Nevis, with stays starting from $850 per night for four adults including concierge and butler services.
Jumby Bay, A Rosewood Resort, the award-winning resort nestled just off the coast of Antigua, today announces the official opening of the Beach Shack. The resort's newest culinary experience offers guests an authentic Antiguan food experience in a casual and relaxed atmosphere, directly on the sands of Jumby Bay Beach. Inspired by colorful West Indian style food shacks found in small villages throughout Antigua,the Beach Shack offers delicious local street-style food such as lobster and chicken wraps and rotis and locally caught fish ceviche.
Executive Summary: Resumption of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba may open opportunities for hospitality and tourism industry investors in the island, which is the largest in the Caribbean. Although the U.S. economic embargo continues (and can only be removed by an act of Congress), executive actions could ease some travel and trade restrictions. Although Cuba offers considerable potential for hospitality and tourism investors, economic, legal, and practical questions and barriers remain, starting with the central control maintained by the Cuban government. Foreign hospitality and tourism companies seeking to do business in Cuba must navigate the requirements of the Cuban authorities, while operating in the shadow of the U.S. embargo. The following four issues may hamper international investors: (1) finance and banking availability is lacking; (2) the Cuban government must be a partner in every foreign enterprise; (3) labor availability and terms are controlled by the government; and (4) the nation lacks credible dispute resolution entities (courts or arbitration).
Haiti officially welcomed The Marriott Port-au-Prince during an event that celebrated Haiti, its culture and local artisans whose artwork adds beauty throughout the hotel. Some of the artisans works will be curated by Donna Karan, fashion designer, and her UrbanZen Foundation, which seeks to help communities preserve their unique cultural and spiritual values through their creativity and craft.
For far too long the Caribbean has taken tourism for granted according to a white paper issued by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) entitled Cuba: The Great Disruption for the Good of the Caribbean. The paper states that the country that many regard as the least capitalistic in the region is about to teach its neighbor governments, capitalists and free market adherents a lesson.
Luxury hotel and resort operator AlSol Hotels & Resorts will open AlSol Tiara Cap Cana on Monday, June 1, adding a contemporary and chic marina oasis to its portfolio. The hip, new boutique hotel welcomes multi-generational travelers to its social and warm atmosphere situated at the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic affectionately known as the "Jewel of Punta Cana."
On the occasion of the French President's visit to Cuba, Accor announces the signature of a management contract with Gran Caribe (Ministry of Tourism) for the Pullman Cayo Coco hotel in Cuba. This 518-room hotel-resort (including 40 suites), will offer upscale services and will notably be the first establishment on the island offering Wi-Fi in all its rooms. The Pullman Cayo Coco is located just 10 minutes from the international airport and boasts a vast sea front (over 500 meters) on the beautiful "Las Coloradas" beach. The Pullman Cayo Coco will open in November 2015.
During the Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS) in Miami last week, Hilton Worldwide announced the signing of a franchise agreement with Caribbean-based Sterling Developments to build an Embassy Suites by Hilton hotel on the island of St. Kitts & Nevis, making it the first Hilton property in the territory. The 226-suite hotel is currently under construction and plans to open its doors in Q1 2017.
The 2015 HOLA (Hotel Opportunities Latin America) Conference took place April 28-30 at the J.W. Marriott Marquis Hotel in Miami. The conference projected a focus on occupancy in Central America since supply has been outpacing demand since mid-2012. An emphasis on this current strategy to attract demand is critical to support further hospitality development in Central America. Plenary sessions, however exuded enthusiasm and optimism. Here is just a handful of the critical "takeaways" from last week's HOLA event:
Ocean by H10 Hotels - H10 Hotels Caribbean Division - has announced the expansion of its presence in Cuba and the Caribbean, by adding two new resorts which will be opening later this year. In addition to the existing Ocean Varadero El Patriarca, all inclusive resort located on Cuba's famed Varadero Beach, the new all inclusive resorts Ocean Casa del Mar and Ocean Vista Azul will be opening by end of 2015 in Cuba.
Hilton Worldwide today announced the signing of two iconic Jamaican properties to Curio – A Collection by Hilton, a global brand of distinctive upper upscale and luxury hotels, hand-picked for travelers who seek local discovery and authentic experiences.
Karisma Hotels & Resorts and Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) a division of Viacom Inc., are pleased to announce the signing of a landmark agreement to develop Nickelodeon Hotels1. A Gourmet Inclusive® collection of luxurious family-friendly properties, Nickelodeon Hotels will represent the first and only international hotels for Nickelodeon, one of the most globally recognized and widely distributed multimedia brands for kids.